By the time the eight friends reunite in the kitchen at Casa Walsh, they are all aware how much has changed. Steve is talking to Kelly about the bagels, and Donna is beside them, merrily chopping grapefruit and strawberries. Brenda is deep in conversation with her brother next to the backdoor, both of their eyes serious. Dylan and David are talking about After Dark business, and Andrea and Madeline are on the floor building a tower of blocks.
Dylan looked up just in time to see Brenda storm out the back door. Catching Brandon's eye, he is surprised to see her brother shrug and join a conversation with the three blondes preparing the food. Shaking his head, he excuses himself from David and heads out the same door she had exited moments before. Because his back had been to the door, David is not sure where he is going, but he doesn't care. Instead, he moved to the floor to help Andrea and Maddy with the reconstruction of their now-toppled tower.
"Hey, Bren, are you okay?" Dylan asked concerned after joining her on the porch.
Brenda didn't look over her shoulder, she just pulled her knees against her chest. "I'm fine, Dylan. Go back inside."
"You're not fine. I can still read you like a book. What happened between you and Brandon in there?"
"Honestly, I don't know why I feel like I need his approval," she spat angrily. "I confided in him about something I did. I knew it was stupid, and I knew how he reacted. Stupid of me, I thought he might be my brother for once and actually support me. Instead, he just spouted his usual self-righteous rhetoric and judged me. Some things never change."
"You told him about David," Dylan stated plainly, knowingly.
Brenda nodded, finally turning to meet his gaze. "What I did was so stupid, Dylan, I know that. I've been so lonely lately, and so has David. I guess I just mistook that for actual emotion. When I woke up this morning, I thought I had slept with my best friend's husband. I don't think that we did, but I did kiss him. Twice."
"You're only human, Bren," Dylan comforted her. He treaded over to the steps and sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her back. She leaned against his muscular frame, her head falling on his shoulder.
"How did I get here? These people used to be everything to me in high school, but now, I barely remember what it was to like them. Other than you and Brandon, I hadn't seen them in years before this weekend. To be honest, other than the two of you, I hadn't really missed them in years. Why did I latch on to David?"
"You said it yourself, you were both lonely. I know what it's like to be lonely. It can attract you to someone you shouldn't be with in a million years. That first summer with Kel while you were in Paris, I think that's what brought us together. I've never really said that out loud before, but I've always thought it was true."
"So are you saying if I had never gone to Paris, we would still be together."
"The truth is, there is no way I could know," Dylan admitted. "I know that I've thought about it a lot over the years. When we were in London and got so close again, I ran. I was scared, I'll be the first one to admit that. I ran straight back to Kelly's arms because I knew that she and I would never be permanent. I tried to pretend that we could be that, that she was my soul mate. But I knew that she and I would never have what you and I have."
"You mean had."
"No, I mean have."
"Dylan, don't," she warned him. "I can't do this again. Losing you the first time was the hardest thing I thought I would ever have to go through, and then I lost you again. I was a mess, and when I needed you the most, you weren't there."
"I'm here now," he murmured. "These people are your friends, and they love you. It doesn't matter how long it's been, time and distance can't diminish the bond the eight of us share."
"When did you get so insightful?"
"Let's just say you aren't the only one who has mistaken feelings of friendship for feelings and love," he replied cryptically.
Brenda immediately understood the reference. "You and Andrea?"
"I'm not sure that there is anything there," he admitted. "I really thought that there was. I've been writing, and she's been reading and editing everything for me. I knew about her divorce, and we've traded emails on the successes of our professional lives and the failures of our persona lives. Then, she started talking about coming back to L.A., and I told her that I was happy. In the next moment, I realized that I was happy as her friend and nothing more."
"Does she know how you feel or how you felt?"
"Does David know how you feel or how you felt?"
"No one knows but you," she told him. "I'm guessing no one knows you feel but me, either."
"And no one ever will," he murmured as leaned on each other, both literally and metaphorically, for the first time in a very long time.
"What's going on out there between your sister and McKay?" Steve asked, nudging Brandon.
He shrugged for the second time that morning. "I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. It's always drama with Bren, and this morning is no exception. She made a mistake, a major one at that, and she didn't want to hear what I have to say."
"Did you speak to her in that same tone, bro? Because if you did, I can see why she stormed out the backdoor," Steve retorted. "She's not sixteen any more. You can't act like the overprotective, judgmental brother, Bran."
"I know that, Steve, but she made a mistake that could potentially ruin not only her life but also David and Donna's."
"Donna?" Steve asked, alarmed. "Wait, did Brenda sleep with David?"
Brandon shook his head vehemently. "No, at least not yet, but they did kiss."
"Donna is going to be devastated. I can't believe your sister would do that."
"Well, she wasn't exactly kissing herself here, Steve. Look, I know it would really hurt Donna, so that's why we have to keep our mouths shut."
"She's already furious at Silver, I don't want to be the one to add fuel to the fire. Donna has been really great to me, and I don't want to see her hurt. I'll do whatever I can to keep this away from her, but if she asks me, I won't lie to her."
"Fair enough," Brandon agreed. "So, what exactly is going on with you and Donna? I noticed your room was empty when I got up to get my cell phone from the living room in the middle of the night."
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Walsh."
"Hey, isn't that supposed to be my line?"
"Ha ha," Steve deadpanned. "I've had trouble sleeping since I'm not used to sleeping alone, so when Donna offered half her bed, I accepted. We had blankets and a seven-year-old girl between us, so I can confidently say that nothing happened."
"That's good," Brandon declared. "I know you're going through a lot, and Donna is going through turmoil of her own. I'd hate to see a close friendship ruined through a little physical comfort, even if it was mutual."
"So, Kel, where were you this morning? I expected to find either you or Brandon on the couch in the living room when I went down to make coffee, but alas, it was completely empty," Donna inquired with a cheeky smile.
"We were doing a little reuniting in his old bedroom," Kelly told her best friend.
"Wait, what about Dylan?"
"We broke up last night. Brandon asked me what I would do if he asked me to marry him, and I knew what the answer was without even having to think about it. I knew that I could marry him and spend the rest of my life with him and we would be happy."
"Those are some pretty powerful feelings, Kel. Are you sure?"
She nodded confidently. "Sure enough to agree to move in with him," she bubbled happily. "Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you about. Brandon and I talked this morning, and he is going to resign from his job to come back to L.A. He's going to speak to Steve about going back to work at the Beat and moving back into this place. I'm going to live her with him."
"What about Steve and Madeline?"
"Actually, that's where you come in. We both think that Steve is not going to want to stay here since there are so many memories of his life with Janet here," Kel explained. "The beach apartment's lease is still technically in yours and my names, so I thought I would see how you felt about turning it over to Steve. It'd be a great place for them to live. It's right on the water."
"That's fine with me," Donna said, "but I was kind of hoping to stay with you for awhile. Things with David and me are pretty much done, so I am going to move out of the house."
"Maybe you could still move in with Steve and Maddy. He could probably use the help, and this way, neither of you will be alone. With three bedrooms, there is plenty of space for all of you to live easily under one roof."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why? What happened?"
"Maddy asked if I would be her new mommy this morning, Kel. I think us three living together would only confuse things further for her."
"Is there something going on between you and Steve, Don?"
She shook her head. "Nothing like that, we're just friends. I've needed some place to focus my energies lately, and helping Steve has been it. That's all."
"Keep telling yourself that, Donna. You've always been the group's guardian angel, guiding us to where we should be. Maybe this time your guardian angel is leading you to where you belong."
"That is some tower, Maddy," David said as she placed a shiny blue block on top of a dark green one. The little girl smiled up at him widely before picking up a yellow cube. "Do you miss Hannah being this age?"
Andrea laughed. "In a way, I do, but I'm also happy with where she is now. Life goes on so quickly, children change every day. One minute, they're these babies, totally dependent on you for anything and everything. And then in a heartbeat, there these young women, with minds and opinions of their own."
"I can't wait to have children," David said.
"I'm surprised that you and Donna haven't had any yet. Have you talked about it?"
David just shook his head. He didn't feel like having that conversation yet again, especially not with someone who could possibly take her side in the situation. Thankfully, the phone rang, so he could escape. "I'll get it!" he called out, jumping to his feet to pull the phone off the cradle.
"Hello?" he announced into the retriever.
"David, is that you?" a familiar voice asked.
"Valerie, how are you?"
"I'm okay, how are you?"
"I'm holding up."
"Can I talk to Steve, by any chance? Is he there?"
"Oh, sure," David said, disappointed that he wasn't going to be able to talk to her longer. He covered the receiver. "Steve, it's Valerie for you." Steve nodded and held up a finger, indicating that he would be a moment. "He'll be just a minute. I'm going to put you on hold."
"Great," she said. "It was really nice hearing your voice, David."
"You, too, Val," he said before pushing the hold button on the phone and losing yet another connection.